Careless driving blamed for three-car pile up

Firefighters and EMTs assisted motorists after a three-car pile up that took place on East Main Street in Lovell last week.David Peck photo

Michael Chase Lewis was cited for careless driving and following too close after plowing into a 2006 Toyota Siennavan driven by Ed Croft on Friday, May 30, at around 6 p.m. just west of the construction zone at the east end of Main Street in Lovell near Oregon Avenue.

According to Police Chief Nick Lewis, the driver, Lewis hit Croft so hard with his 1981 Chevrolet pickup truck that it was pushed into another vehicle that was traveling in front of it. The third vehicle, a 2009 Hyndai Santa Fe, was driven by Taliesha Clark.

Lewis said the van appeared to have extensive damage and Croft and his wife, Louise, who was a passenger in the van, were both treated by EMTs at the scene. Both complained of neck pain. All three of the vehicles were traveling eastbound at the time of the accident. Lewis was the only driver cited.